APH: Existence
by jinnocenceph11
Summary: Nations, like stars, are entitled to eclipse. All is well, provided the light returns and the eclipse does not become endless night. Dawn and resurrection are synonymous. The reappearance of the light is the same as the survival of the soul.-Victor Hugo
1. Prologue

"I must hurry! They gotta see this!" An Italian man in a suit excitedly whispers while running in a very wide corridor of an old but prestigious hall. He carries a bag and a folder that contains leads regarding a secret that was hidden to humanity for thousands of years. He also carries a SLR Camera that he uses everyday for his job.

He is a very busy man. He devoted his very life for this very secret to the fact that he had to left behind his personal happiness for this. It is very evident to his somewhat unkempt hair and also his unshaven facial hair but he has very built body that endured his 22 years of service as an independent journalist and an enthusiastic author of books about hidden history and conspiracy theories. He also served to a worldwide newspaper company wherein he contributes his articles. But sadly he never had any success. The readers easily lacked interest as they never took his claims seriously and as a result no one buys his books nor reads his articles. But he never gave up…. Never ever until he got those leads! He travelled the whole world just to get those evidences. Those leads might make him rich, famous and heck it might also win him a Peabody Award1! He had those dreams until now that this might be the realization of it.  
>He is definitely excited for this as he wanted to show his family, friends, colleagues in the field and eventually to the world what those greedy politicians, royals and nobles had been hiding for thousands of years. For what other purpose aside from the fame, money and a Peabody Award, no one knows for sure.<p>

"GUYS! I HAVE THEM!" The very tired but overly enthusiastic brown haired middle aged man shouts as he hastily opened the door. He still catches his breath as his 3 colleagues turned to him as they are doing they own respective things.

"Hey! What's the rush old man? Is that about your _non-sense _theory again?" A spiky blacked hair guy said to the man while reading a newspaper.

"Oh boy… Here we go again…" A long brunette hair guy sighed as they will forcefully listen to another of that non-sense. The last time they heard about it was about a couple of days ago but when they asked him where did he got that lead and he said it was from his dreams, they laughed out loud until there is no tomorrow but the old man never gave up _once again_.

"Don't tell us it was from your dreams again? When will you ever give up…" a blond pony tailed woman with glasses giggled as she is thinking of what she has already expecting from what she will hear from the Italian while serving coffee to her two other colleagues.

"These would finally prove my claims! I am _absolutely_ sure of it! Here!" He dropped the folder onto the table and opened it. It contains pictures of both old and new. His colleagues come to the table to inspect the folder. "Hmmmm…" says the blonde as she noticed an old picture dated somewhat during WWII. "These pictures will finally prove that _they_exist! Take a look at this!" The Italian exclaimed as he points to a slicked back blond hair stoic looking muscular male German in an old group picture of Nazi Soldiers dated during WWII2. "And this!" he points to same German in a most recent picture during a World Conference in Geneva accompanying Germany's Chancellor3.

"Huh? Are you sure it is the same person?" the spiky haired guy said skeptically as he grabs the 2 photos and observes them. "Mind you, these pictures can be easily photo shopped4." He adds.

"Come on guys? How can you be so skeptical? Here! Another one!" He now points to the blonde American guy with glasses in another old picture dated sometime during Abraham Lincoln's presidency. Apparently, he was in Lincoln's funeral5. "And here!" he is now pointing to another recent picture with the same American with the current president during his inauguration6. "He is supposed to be dead today! He is living during Lincoln's time and now! How's that possible?"

His colleagues still gives him skeptical look. "Maybe the one with the current president is a descendant of that guy from Lincoln's time" the brunette guy said. The other 2 agrees.

"Ok if you still don't believe me! Take a look at this!" He now points to a beautiful long black haired Asian-looking girl with three jasmine hair clips in another old picture dated somewhat during Philippine-American War7 tending to cure wounded soldiers. "And this!" He again points to the same Filipina in a most recent picture accompanying her country's current president in a meeting in China8. "Isn't she beautiful?" the Italian said as he is blushing while looking to the Filipina's picture.

"It means that my claims of existence of the humanized countries have been true all along!"

"That maybe so… But how can you prove to the whole world about it?" the spiky blacked haired guy named Gio said.

"With this!" a DVD that comes from the Italian's bag now appears.

"And where did you get that?" Rinna, the blond girl, asks.

"I never disclosed my sources especially to you, Tom" The Italian brags as he clutched the brunette named Tom.

"Hey! And since when did you keep secrets from us old man?"

"Okay… Okay… Let's watch it… So that we could move on to more sensible things…" Gio sighs and he and the other 2 now prepare for whatever non-sense that they will watch as the Italian gets his laptop and opens its power. He will not let this moment pass as he opens the DVD Player in the laptop and inserts the DVD in it. Then as it loads, the wide smile on his face never fades as he now unravels to his colleagues what he thought the video that may change the world… forever…

The video shows a conversation between apparently the president of the United States and a man.

"Hey isn't that…"

"Shhh!"

As they watch the video, the trio had opened their eyes to the truth. The old man was right all along…


	2. Chapter 1: Discovery

Arrival Area, Tom Bradley International Terminal, LAX, Los Angeles, California, USA. 9:15 AM.

"Where on earth did that airplane gone to?" A blonde American impatiently grumbles as he is waiting for his visitor and looking to his watch after every 2 minutes. "It's supposed to here at this rate!"

"Shh! I'm looking for it!" replied by a similar looking Canadian who cuddles his very cute polar bear while looking at the arrivals listing to check the status of Philippine Airlines flight number PR 102 that supposed to arrive at 7:01 AM but for some reason it got delayed.

"That's stupid! I'll call my spies!"

"That would not be necessary bro!" the Canadian stopped his American brother from dialing his phone. "And besides Perla told us that her plane has minor technical difficulties and they will have to fix it for an hour."

"But still! It worries me sick!"

"Just eat some burgers bro! That will ease your wor-"

"But I have enough of them! I've already eaten 5 Big Mac Meals and drunken 5 large cokes!"

"Well then how about some pancakes?"

"Nah… I'm not used to your maple syrup bro…"

"Oh really? That's not fair! You always force me to eat your fatty burgers and even pushing it to my mouth until I choked!"

"Hey! Hey now! How could you say that to your bro!" the American grabbed his brother. "No one will take care of you but me!"

"Take-care-of-you-but-me yourself!" the Canadian angrily pulled away from him. "You always give me trouble! Especially whenever Cuba sees me and hits my head as if I am you!"

"Ow come on! Don't be such a drag my dear Matthew!" The American happily consoles to him. "Hey sorry for that bro…"

"Do I have any choice…" Matthew sighed and then…

"Hey hey you!" The polar bear called for his master but…

"Who are you?"

"I'm Canada!" he said and said it many times before as the polar bear named Kumajiro does not remember his master's name and neither does the master to his pet.

"Well let's just wait for her here." the American sighed. "We couldn't do anything to make that flight go faster…"

"At last! You have realized that, Alfred!" Matthew happily notes his brother. "Eh? What's that?"

"A banner, so that she could see us easily." A large banner printed the words "THE HERO IS HERE!" in large fonts was taken out from Alfred's bag as he enthusiastically unfolds it.

"Alfred! That's not even necessary! She knows us completely!"

"Come on Mattie! This is the way we greet our visitors!"

"But she visited us a lot of times and you never had a banner like that before!"

"Don't be a kill joy and help me get the flags out of my bag."

"What? You have flags also? She's not blind!"

"Quit complaining! Just get those!"

Matthew sighed… "Right…" He took out the flags from Alfred's bag. There are 4 flags: The US flag, The Canadian flag, The Philippine flag, and The Australian flag.

Matthew remembered that Daniel Smith, the personification of Australia, was supposed to be with Perla making rendezvous to Manila and then accompanying her to LA but for some reason his flight got cancelled.

"Dan was supposed to be with Perla." Matthew sadly notes as he hold Australia's flag.

"Yeah. But it's better that he didn't come." Alfred replied as he tied the knots on the banner to the metal bars in front of him.

"Why is that so? Don't tell me…" Matthew suspects of something that his brother feels whenever there are other guys talking to Perla.

"Oh! It's arriving! Here she comes!" Alfred excitedly exclaims after he looked to the arrival list. He doesn't seem to listen to his brother's earlier remark.

The brothers are now getting ready for the arrival of their Filipina friend.

Meanwhile, Perla Liwayway is now relieved that finally she had arrived on her destination safely after so many setbacks on her travel. Her smile is the very evidence of her excitement. She can see her "kuyas" once more. She goes on first before her boss visits US for some engagements but she will not accompany him this time as she is on leave for vacation.

The flight attendant reminded the passengers their safely procedures for landing. She turned off her cellphone for a while as it is not allowed when landing. Here I come! She thought.

_Kuya Australia should be with me but his flight got cancelled for major technical difficulties. Oh what a luck!_ She sighed. _But at least I got to talk to some of my people who will work here._ Another sigh comes. _Hey! No use on sulking. I'm here already!_

She stood to get her hand carries on the luggage rack at the top of their sit. She is sitting in the economy class. As she (im)patiently waits for her turn to get outside of the airplane, she notices a girl accompanying her grandmother to get out of the plane.

"Lola! Heere we are! Aren't you excited?" the girl said.

"Yes apo, but my feets killing me! Nirarayuma na naman ata ako."

"Wag po kayong mag-alala lola! Tulungan po kita." The girl offered her help.

As Perla watches the scene, she smiled and then remembered her time wherein she had a family but it was a very long time ago as she is already living alone.

_How nostalgic._She lamented and then closed her eyes.

Then, It is her turn now to get out of the plane and as she goes down to the stairs she felt the cold American wind blown to her face. She is excited once again and goes to the luggage counter to get her remaining baggage and she is now on her way to the arrival area wherein her kuyas are impatiently waiting for her.

"PERLA!" A voice booms and echoes as she walked towards the arrival area. "THE HERO IS HERE! HAHAHAHA!"

_What the?_Surprise came to her when she saw 2 blond guys in glasses waiting for her waving flags of 3 different countries and a large banner with "THE HERO IS HERE" written in large fonts! The other blond with a bear doesn't seem to be enthusiastic in what he is doing. On the other hand, Perla smiles wider as she excitedly runs over them.

"ALFRED! MATTHEW!" She exclaimed as she hugged both of them. The two blushed. "I MISSED YOU BOTH!"

"Eh? Both of us? I thought I'm the only one whom you missed…" Alfred complained.

"In your dreams!" The Filipina joked to him with a slight giggle.

"Aww… Babe! Don't be like that…" Alfred sulked.

Both Philippines and Canada laughed at Alfred.

"You looked great by the way." Matthew complimented the Filipina's white dress that suits her lightly tanned skinned while accessorized with straw hat and her signature three _sampaguita_ hair clips on the right side of her long wavy black hair.

"Thanks Mattie!" She joyously smiled to Canada's personification.

"Hey! Don't take my girl from me!" Alfred is obviously jealous on his brother right now.

"Who says I'm your girl? I'm nobody's girl!" Perla clarified.

"Babe…." The American sulked once more.

"I'm just teasing you…" Perla giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing…" She enjoys teasing Alfred whenever they see each other.

"Kumajiro! How are you? You are cute as always!" She grabs the pet polar bear of Canada and cuddles it. The bear blushes and slightly suffocates while the Filipina cuddles him hardly.

"By the way, where's Tony?" Perla asks.

"Speaking of that alien, I need to call him right now since you are here now, Perla."

"Is he the one driving?"

"You bet he is!"

"WOW! Are you serious?" Perla amazed while Canada was not at all.

"Yup! And he gonna take us whenever we want to go!"

"Um… I think I'm gonna pass for that…" Matthew sadly remarked.

"HUH?" Both Alfred and Perla were shocked by his reply.

"Hey bro! What's the matter? Are you sick or something?" Alfred interrogates him.

"Yeah Matthew? Is something wrong?" Perla asks.

"Uh… Nothing really… I'm just tired… I just wanted to see you my friend…"

"Oh Canada… Come on! It will be fun!" Perla insists.

"No thanks really… I have some business to do at home… In fact I have a flight later this afternoon to Vancouver…"

"Aw… You should have scheduled it tomorrow…"

"I know but my boss called…"

Perla sighed in disappointment. "Oh well… not much of a choice don't we. I'll see you around, kaibigan."

"Vous aussi, mon amie" Matthew replied with a smile.

"Ehem! Well enough with goodbyes! Let's go my precious pearl! The car is here! By the way, take care bro!"

"Both of you take care too." Matthew waved goodbye as Alfred gets Perla's luggage in the compartment and goes inside the car. Both of them waved goodbye to Matthew as they embark to the "City of Angels" Los Angeles.

"Well, where are we going?" Perla asks Alfred as she opens the map of LA that she bought back at her home.

"Before that…" He clutches his bag once more and…

"For you…" A bouquet of red roses came out of the bag and give to Perla.

Perla blushed and a bit surprised of Alfred's unusual gesture. And she can't hide her happiness for that.

"Wow! How beautiful! Thank you! But how about we go to a hotel first?"

Alfred blushed "R-re-really? Th-t-that's fast…" He smiled for bad reasons.

"Hey! Don't get the wrong idea, you perv!" Perla reprimands America and slaps the map onto his head.

"Hey! That hurt! I'm not a perv you know! And beside I'm not like France who takes advantage on things." He defends himself.

"Oh… really…" the Philippines is still suspecting Alfred.

"And besides I'm still tired on this travelling. A nap helps you know."

"Are we going to share a bed, Babe?"

"NO!" Another slapping of the map to his head came.

"Perla, I'm just kidding you know…"

"Pervert… Pervert Jerk…" Tony mocks America.

"Not you too, Tony…"

"See Tony's agreeing with me." Perla smirked.

"Whatever. Let's just go the hotel nearby." Alfred commands Tony.

"Roger… Pervert… Jerk…" Tony responded.

"Hey stop that!"

Perla couldn't help but laugh on Alfred.

The morning sunlight is beaming across a room as a muscular blond man is feeling its warmth and slowly opened his blue eyes. He looked into the clock. It's already 10:08 AM. He woke up unusually late, not that he have some urgent things to do this morning but due to some work that needs to be done the day before. He is done and also passed this to his boss.

His eyes are still heavy but he felt his stomach grumbled. He stood up and goes to the bathroom to slick back his hair and to wash his face. Then, after he changed his clothes from his sando and boxers to his polo and jeans, he goes to the kitchen to see what he can cook for the breakfast. He saw his favorite wurst to refrigerator and also some pasta that his friend cooked for him whenever he visits him. The German check if the pasta is already spoiled…. And it is… He groaned and threw it to the garbage. So he settled himself to his favorite German breakfast: 2 pieces of Brötchen (that he baked a day before), butter, hard-boiled eggs and wurst (that he boiled earlier).

_Ah, what a peaceful day._He thought while grabbing his sumptuous meal. He is definitely enjoying his very rare breakfast alone. He won't have to yell every time to his very annoying and noisy Italian friend who knows nothing but eating pasta and flirting with girls. It is very peaceful indeed…

Until…

"Germany! Germany! I'm here!" A cheery brunette Italian guy totally interrupts the very rare peaceful moment alone of the German as he excitedly enters his house. Germany's eyes are widened and sighed deeply and as always he has left no choice but to deal with it.

"WHAT IS IT?" Germany angrily asked Italy (the North to be exact).

"W-why? I'm j-j-ju-sst visit-ing y-you… L-Lu-Ludwig…" the Italian frighteningly replied. He is scared by the death glare of the German.

But Ludwig immediately stops as soon he realizes that there is no one who can understand him better than Feliciano Vargas. "Sorry for that… That was unexpected…"

"No worries my friend!" Feliciano immediately changed his mood. "Oh, I brought you some…"

"Pasta, right?"

"Wow! Are you a psychic or something?"

"No! It's because that's the only thing you brought to me every time!" Ludwig shouts.

"S-so-sorry!" Feliciano is scared as if he would almost cry whenever Ludwig shouts to him.

Ludwig sighed heavily once again and gets the food from Feliciano.

"Thanks…" He stoically said to the Italian.

As he going to put the food in the table, someone knocks the door heavily and the two looked at each other and wandered who is it.

"Meister Ludwig! Meister Ludwig!" A voice can be heard beyond the door. "P-please open!" *Huff* *Huff* "T-th-there's an emergency!"

As if he recognizes the voice, Ludwig immediately opens the door and there he sees a middle-aged short fat baldy German man in an ordinary clothing gushes in fatigue due to running.

"What is it?" Ludwig was concerned to the guy and he immediately accompanies him inside. "Hey! Get some water for him!" He commanded Italy in which he does. Ludwig, on the other hand, gets some chair and makes him sit there.

"What is the problem?" The two observed the guy and waits for his response.

"Please! Turn on your television and tune in to CNN! There is an emergency!"

The two immediately run to the living room to turn on the television and to see what emergency does the old man is talking about…

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles, California; 2:25 AM.

Perla woke up slowly but gets up quickly as she realizes the time. She overslept for 15 hours due to non-stop flight that she boarded. Her head feels so heavy but still manage to stretch her light tanned body upward.

Then, she remembered she has to continue her journey. She immediately picks up the phone to call for Alfred who is in a nearby room with Tony.

No Answer. She sighed as she thought he is still asleep. She realizes that it is too early to go.

She saw the earlier bouquet of flowers now in a vase. She looked at it and felt guilty and embarrassed on what she did to Alfred and to the fact that she overslept as supposedly they are in Hollywood earlier for the continuation of her trip.

_I will make it up to him._

She goes to the bathroom first to have a quick shower and then after changing her clothes, she grabs a pack of crackers from her home as she feels her stomach grumbles.

Then, she opened the room's television to check what is happening in her country. She tuned in to a Filipino international channel.

_For International News: A group of independent journalists in Italy have discovered the alleged existence of personified countries. According to Dr. Luciano Vargas, author of the book entitled "Heart Of A Country", these personified countries are immortals who is living in this planet since time in memorial._

Philippines couldn't listen to the news anymore as she drops the remote and her crackers to the ground and her eyes widened in shock. Her legs are shaking and she kneels out of disbelief.

_What happened? Why? How did he discover us?_

Suddenly, a group of black suited guys with shades stormed inside Perla's room. Everything happens so quickly. They aim her with their guns. She moved backwards as she was still shocked of what is happening now. Then, a bald tall guy in eyeglasses enters the room and he raised his hand to stop aiming at her.

"My lady, you should come with us." The guy calmly said and gives his hand to her.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?"

"All you want to do is to come with us. Plain and simple."

"Why should I come with you?"

"Don't ask just do it."

"Who do you think you are to command me like that?"

"Maybe this will make you come with us… Ms. Philippines…" He then moved aside to give way to another black suited muscular guy who holds an unconscious blond.

"Alfred… No way… Alfred! What did you do to him?"

"He is too stubborn to come with us and also he fought back against our men to prevent us for coming to your room."

"You bastards!" She quickly moved towards her bags get her weapon, a couple of Arnis sticks but before she is done they aimed her once again as a threat against her resistance.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You wanted to risk your life just to save someone who is more powerful than you are? Oh! I forgot… You're an immortal…"

"Why you-!" Before she could attack, she was held by 3 guys to strangle her.

"Let me go!" She struggles to escape as they roped her and one guy puts a handkerchief to her face. Apparently, it contains sleeping powder.

"I… said… let me… go…" She slowly closes her eyes while looking at Alfred. She is definitely helpless…

_Help me…_


	3. Chapter 2: Isolation

Alone… In a very chaotic place…

"Hello!"

"Is anybody here?"

"Answer me!"

She wanders to a very haunting and destructed place… Everything is empty…

"Alfred? Matthew? Daniel? Where are you?"

She saw nothing but destruction…

"Why is nobody answering?"

She is very frustrated… Tears are falling in her face… She is helpless… She is hopeless…

"Why..." She is crying for help and she knelt due to her hopelessness…

Then she saw a piece of piercing broken glass…

She picked it up, held it in both hands, aimed the edge against her chest, and…

She woke up.

_What a nightmare!_ Cold sweat is flowing in her face and her heartbeat is getting heavy. _That was scary!_

Then after a few seconds of grasping the reality, she looked to her surroundings. It is still night time. _Where am I? What am I doing here?_

Perla woke up in a dark cell-looking room where her hands are cuffed. Another nightmare comes, this time, it's real.

She wonders why she was there then she remembered the incident happened in the hotel. She was abducted by some mysterious people.

"Alfred? Alfred!"

"Hey… babe…" She turned to her left and saw the blond American weakly answered as he is bruised and unlike her he was immobilized by the chains wrapped all over his body as if he is bound by magic.

Shocked on what she is seeing, Perla's tears slowly fall. Then she leaps to him and then hugs him!

"Alfred!" She is very happy to see her friend alive. The American felt the heat in his face and smiled.

"I'm sorry… I failed you… I should have-"

"Alfred…" Perla shook her head and smiled. "No need to apologize. I'm just glad that you're alive." She assured her friend for her forgiveness and wiped out her tears.

"Of course I will be! The hero will always get his last laugh! Hahahaha!" Alfred proudly exclaimed but the Filipina seems to be less than impressed as a sweat drop in her head.

_And he's back._Perla narrowed her eyes and sighed.

"Anyways, where the heck are we?" Alfred complains.

"Don't ask me! I don't know either!" Perla furiously answered.

"Those effin cowards…" America groaned. He tries to get out from his chained situation but the chains are too tight.

"Gah! If I get out of this, I swear they will never see the sunrise again!"

"Have you… watched the news?" Philippines carefully asks.

"Huh? Yeah…" America stares the ceiling and wonders what went wrong while the Philippines contemplates on why the journalists exposed them.

Suddenly, their cell's door opens… The men in tuxedo and shades are coming in and also the bald tall guy with eyeglasses.

"How is your stay?"

"IT'S GREAT! IT'S EFFIN GREAT! Thanks to you I cannot let go from these chains!" America sarcastically answers. _I swear to God I want to kick their ass._

"Good." The guy rides along with Alfred's sarcasm. "How about you, my lady?"

Perla didn't answer and instead looked to her right.

"Good I suppose." He calmly answers.

"Where is this place, you sucker?" Alfred mockingly asks.

"Well, what do we have here? Roberto?" A regal-looking man comes & this time he is a very big and tall bearded man with strong features.

"Maestro Umberto! What brings you here?"

"I'd like to see what have you _collected_ for me and they look _nice_." The Umberto guy glared with an evil smile to both Philippines and America.

Alfred grinned while Perla shocked to what she has heard.

"Where the heck are we, you spineless coward jerk?"

"Oh… Sorry about that… I haven't introduced this place for you to enjoy your nice vacation here…"

He paused for a while and then... "Welcome to my precious palace! HAHAHA! The den of all my lifelong collections that I and my men have gathered!"

Alfred makes a WTF face to the guy while Perla makes a blank and idealess face…

"What collections are you talking about?" Alfred is curious (and investigative).

"What collections you say?" Umberto laughs loudly at Alfred's seemingly stupid curiosity.

"My dear, of course! The 4 Gs!" The man shows a 'four' from his hand.

"The 4 Gs?" Perla is also curious. _I think I heard it somewhere at my home._"Is that a dietary supplement?"

Umberto also laughs to Perla's question. "What dietary supplement?" Alfred also gazed at his friend seemingly from Perla's out of this world and out of topic question.

"Ah… Those are my _dietary supplements!_"

"GOLD!"

"GOBLET!"

"GUERILLA!"

"and the most important G of them all…" He comes to Perla and touches her face. Perla is annoyed on the man's gesture. "GIRLS!" He stares to her as if he is going to do something bad against her. Perla widened her eyes in shock.

"Don't lay your effin finger on her! YOU BASTARD!" Alfred struggles to let get go from his chains.

"How dare you to address Maestro Umberto like that?" A subordinate and the others aimed a gun on Alfred. He is still grinning his teeth from his anger.

Umberto laughs on Alfred and waved his hand to the subordinate as if he is saying to stop aiming.

"How did you know about our whereabouts? Or should I ask… How did you know about us?" It's Perla's turn to investigate.

"How did we know? Simple! We have spies everywhere! We have intelligence!" Umberto proudly answers. Perla and Alfred were surprised.

"We have men following you everywhere."Roberto is beginning to explain things. "We have gathered intelligence on your whereabouts from reliable sources."

"We are actually planning to kidnap the Philippines alone. But since you are with her, we have to take the opportunity to get the biggest fish of them all." Roberto added.

"What do you want from us? Why did you capture us? What purpose do you have?" Perla took charge on investigating.

"People like you are immortal, right?" Umberto smiles evilly again. Perla and Alfred again stunned to his remark.

"No, we're not! We are just ordinary citizens of our country, you dumbass!" Alfred mockingly replies.

"Don't be ridiculous, my dear _Stati Uniti_… Do you think we don't watch news? Every news channel and publications have news about all of you, the greatest discovery of the 21st century and the greatest fraud of the human race!"

"So, you want to be an immortal?" Perla is getting well in investigations.

"OF COURSE! Who wouldn't?" Umberto loudly laughs "But what makes you an immortal?" He snaps his fingers in his right hand and a subordinate comes in with a small chest-looking box in a small violet pillow.

Umberto gets the box and slowly opens it. And then, a small circular diamond-like gem appears with a heraldic-looking emblem engraved inside of it. The emblem seems to be fading that is why it is unclear what nation it is but the crystal is shining and sparkling.

Both Perla & Alfred can't help but open their mouths in shock. The crystal seems to be important for them… Both also are shaking in horror in what they are seeing right now.

"This… is what makes you alive, right?" Umberto roaring evil laugh is spreading through the halls of that prison. "Your very life force! The very reason of your existence!"

"Where did you get that sovereignty gem?" Alfred's anger intensifies more. "Whose nation did you kill to get that?"

"Ah… this… I get it from a boy who wants to be a nation so badly! I said that I will make him a nation if he comes with us! What a foolish boy! Now, as Roberto said, I only intend to get the Philippines' gem but since I got you, Mr. America, once I get yours, I will be the most powerful man in this planet! And this makes it my 5th G! GEM! The grandeur of immortality is finally here" Umberto greediness is totally getting over him as he looked up and laughed as long as his breath can handle.

Alfred couldn't contain is anger by grinning his teeth harder while Perla seems to be speechless but there are still questions that she wanted to ask. Something is bothering her more…

"How do you know that I am Philippines?" She gathered her strength to ask that.

"As I have said we have information about you from reliable sources. And when we say reliable sources, it is from the people you serve. We took advantage of their greed and got information from them for a price." Roberto slightly narrows his eyes and glances to her.

Perla couldn't help but feel the weakness from all of her body as she cannot believe anything that she heard from Roberto. There really people who will do anything in the name of money even sell indirectly their own nation's personification and the worst, kill them to get their desired immortality. It is one of her daily and major problems back at home but she wouldn't think that the cancer is already severely damaging her own integrity.

Alfred can't fathom anymore of what he is seeing right now. He may be one of the densest personifications but certainly not the most insensitive as he have strong feelings of justice in his heart. Justice that he took care for more than a couple of hundred of years ago after the American Revolutionary War. But his feeling of justice is stronger than ever or is it more than that as he deeply cares for the woman in front of him ever since he took her from Antonio to his house. He couldn't take it. He must do something to save his damsel, to be the hero like the ones in the comics from his home, to be the hero that he always claims to the world and most importantly, to be the hero that she will marry like in the fairy tales that Arthur told him when he was a kid.

"YOU! How could you… I'll never forgive you…" Alfred is slowly standing up even though he is chained. Umberto, Roberto & Perla are widened their eyes to see the American standing…

"I'll never forgive you on hurting other people just to get what you want!"

"I'll never forgive you on what did to the boy who you only kill just to satisfy your greed!"

"And most of all…"

"I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU ON HURTING MY GIRL!"

"BECAUSE…"

"I AM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!"

A sudden surge of strength is released as Alfred breaks all the chains in an instant! A murderous intent emerges in his eyes! Umberto can feel his rage and if a while ago his greed and pride outmatches Alfred's, now he and all of his men succumbs to fear. He now realizes that the biggest fish that he captured becomes the wildest beast he couldn't imagine seeing.

Perla widened his eyes more and more stunned to see her friend right now. The last time she saw him like that was in World War II. She can feel his tremendous energy as her whole body is shaking in his might until she can't handle it.

"TAKE THIS!" Upon his rage, America smashes his fist to the ground then the earth crumbles and the building is collapsing. Only Perla and Alfred's position is unaffected.  
>Due to this, Many of Umberto's men fell to the strength of the superpower nation including Roberto.<p>

Umberto couldn't believe in anything he sees. He gets more than what he wished for. His eyes widened in fear.

"W-what are you spineless cowards waiting for! Shoot him!" Umberto commands his men. The survivors picked up their guns and ammunitions and then shoot the rain of bullets to Alfred.

But…

"I-i-it d-didn't work!" The men are showing signs of defeat. Alfred, due to his might, catches all the bullets just like the hero in the red cape that he reads in comics at his home. "Are you tickling me?"

"T-the missile launcher! HURRY!" his men quickly get the weapon and aims to America.

"FIRE!" He quickly commands. The missile quickly launches and bombards Alfred & Perla's position. She feels the fear as the missile quickly comes to them.

"AHHH!" Perla shouts in fear.

The missile explodes, the place is slightly falling apart and Umberto assumes that they've been hit as the smoke covers the whole place.

"HE'S DOWN! HAHAHAHAHA!" Umberto exclaims as he felt the joy of victory but little did he know as the smoke disperses…

Alfred held the crushed missile in his hands…

"Is that a missile? What a crap!"

Umberto, once again, widened his eyes in disbelief. All of his men are running for their lives. He thought he can get the sovereignty gem of the one of the greatest nations in the world. He thought he can now conquer the world in ease. His dreams of paradise easily crushed.

But he has still one card left. He is now desperate.

"You thought you have won already, _Stati Uniti_."

"What do you mean by that, you greedy jerk?"

Umberto chuckles evilly. "I still got this." He still holds the sovereignty gem that he got.

Alfred widened his eyes as the villain slowly tightened his grip to the gem…

"The boy is still alive… If you want him to live that badly, you'll give me your gem! Or I'll crush this!"

Alfred is now in the brink of the dilemma.

"Oh… I thought you're the hero! You think you can save everyone in your senseless heroic antics! In your dreams, my boy! So give it to me! GIVE IT!"

America strength is waned as his fear conquers him. He can't handle the pressure of his dilemma. _What should I do? Crap! Alfred, you're the hero here!_Then he notices something.

"Do you know what thing that makes a hero?" Alfred asks Umberto.

"Heh! What is it?"

"His sidekick!"

Suddenly, something hit Umberto's head very hardly. A pair of thick handcuffs strikes his head from above.

"My… paradise…" Umberto slowly loses his consciousness and he dropped the gem but Alfred catches it.

The villain has fallen. The "sidekick" turns out to be the shining and beautiful Filipina girl, who immediately after she attacks Umberto, shows a very determined and brave face that made the American admire her more. The handcuffs due to his hard head were crushed in turn.

"So, I am just a sidekick now, huh?" She narrowed her eyes and raised her eyebrow.

"Hahahaha! Well, you're too strong to be a princess, you know?"

Perla giggled and blushed to America's remark. "Is that so? Well, as for you, you're too confident to be a hero."

"But of course! Remember what I told you earlier?"

"Huh? What is it?"

"The hero will always get his last laugh!"

"Oh… right… even if you're not the one who finishes your job?" Perla raised her eyebrow again.

"Of course! Whatever the sidekick does, the credit always goes to the hero!" Alfred boasts.

"Don't be ridiculous. You almost pee your pants when that guy threatens to crush that gem."

"Hey! Don't say that, babe! It's embarrassing…" Alfred sulks in shame.

Perla laughs at Alfred.

All of a sudden, the gem that Alfred holds shines brightly and slowly ascends.

"It is thanking us…" Perla remarked.

"Yeah…" Alfred responds.

In a blink of an eye, the gem flies like a shooting star. The two nations watch the gem's flight to the heavens and smiles.

Unnoticed, Roberto got up slowly in the rubbles and gets his knife from his pocket.

"You…. Your… victory… ends here!" He raises his knife and is going to attack Perla from behind… His speed is peeking. He is ready for the kill.

"DIE!"

Perla looks from behind and sees the bald guy going to attack her. She is too late to react. Her eyes widened.

"PERLA!" Alfred is going to save her but…

A sudden gunfire shoots. Its roar can be heard all over the place. It all happened too fast.

Roberto was hit in the head despite his speed. He almost got Perla but failed. He is now falling to the ground.

Perla felt the blood from Roberto's head splashed to her left cheek. She looked to her left to see who shot Roberto. What she saw was a fully geared tall SWAT guy, who still holds his rifle and still aims to the now fallen Roberto, comes from an open pathway. Then, he holds down his weapon and slowly removes his face shield, then his combat helmet, and finally his bulletproof goggles.

She widened her eyes in shock to the man who revealed his identity in front of her.

"You are… Germany?" She sees a slicked back blond who she familiar of. Her brown eyes met his stoic but beautiful blue eyes.

"Germany! What are you doing here?" Alfred questions Germany. For all people to appear to help them, it had to be his former rival.

"I'd like to see if the rumors are true that America has been kidnapped, it appears to be true." Germany mockingly sighed.

"Hey! What do you mean by that? I was going to save Perla before you interrupt me, you sausage-brain loser!" Alfred mockingly responds.

"Well, you were too slow. Perhaps your burger-brain cannot respond quickly." Ludwig calmly mocks America again.

"What did you say?" As the two great former rival nations, still hold their grudges of the past and glaring at each other with sparks colliding, Perla is still in awe and still cannot recover from the fact that someone who is not that close to her, saved her. But she snaps herself mentally to reality to ask something to that man.

"U-um… H-how did you know that we are here?" She nervously asks Ludwig as she knows that he is not that approachable when comes to people not that close to him.

"Hm?" Ludwig faces her (while totally ignoring America) to answer her question. She is totally mesmerized by the eyes of the German.

"We were contacted by my boss to help~"

"GERMANY! GERMANY!" A voice suddenly booms in the destructed room.

All three of them saw a skinny brunette Italian guy (with sort of an ahoge on the right corner of his hair) also in a SWAT uniform waving at them.

"Where's the enemy?" He looks to every direction.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE, YOU USELESS IDIOT!" Ludwig shouts at Feliciano, as usual.

"I-I-I'm j-ju-just here to h-help!" Italy frightened to the core.

"Didn't I tell you to stay at my house?"

"I-I'm sorry... But I wanted to help you, Ludwig. Remember our promise?"

"It would've been helpful if you stayed! And besides, the fighting is already done!"

"Hahahaha! There goes his weak point!" Alfred exclaims.

Then, somebody called to Ludwig's communicator device.

"Alright. We will be there."

"What is it?" Alfred asks.

"Let us get out of here. Everything is done. All of those involved are taken into custody. You'll be safe by now." Ludwig responds as he looks to the Philippines.

"Glad to hear that." Perla smiled.

Then Ludwig suddenly looks away to Perla… and blushed.

"T-T-there's a helicopter nearby. That'll get us out here."

"At last, we're going home! Hahahaha~" America excitingly announces.

"No, we are not." Ludwig cuts America's excitement.

"Huh? Why is that?" Perla wanders to his abrupt announcement.

"Our bosses were asked by the United Nations to gather all of us, personifications, in one place."

"And where is that?" Alfred asks.

"I don't know yet. We will find soon enough once our helicopter drop us there."

Philippines and America are now more confused on the German's news. They are now walking towards to where the helicopter is waiting.


End file.
